


More or Less

by Krissielee



Series: Kingsman Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 07:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12552264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krissielee/pseuds/Krissielee
Summary: “This is a joke.”Merlin hires a professional cuddler for Harry, and things aren't quite as stupid as he'd expected or as simple as he'd hoped.





	More or Less

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a prompt from thisbirdhadflown, from when I went to London and then wrote exactly zero words there, so it's now my "write while at work" prompt list. :D
> 
> Title's Jay's fault <3 
> 
> Find me on [Tumblr](http://krissielee.tumblr.com)\--I keep trying to do prompts, but clearly I'm slow and not that good at it. ^^;;

“This is a joke.”

“It’s real, I assure you. You’ve been alone too long, Harry. At least this gets you a bloody hug or two,” Merlin said, handing the gift certificate back to his oldest friend. “Be glad I didn’t pay for a prostitute.”

Harry’s mouth puckered in distaste. “Yes, thank you for limiting yourself to a bloody _professional cuddler_. What the hell is that, anyway? It sounds made up.” Harry paused, calculating. This was Merlin, after all. “Are you just making this up to laugh at my expense?”

“I promise, it’s legitimate. Call them.” With that, Merlin had turned, leaving Harry alone in his office, certificate in hand.

Weeks later, begrudgingly, out of spite and frustration, Harry did call, and now he was waiting at home for someone named _Eggsy_ of all things to come … cuddle.

The knock on his door shouldn’t have started him so, but it had, and Harry took a moment to compose himself before opening the door.

Harry’s first thought was that this Eggsy was a child. Barely out of puberty by the looks of him. Incredibly young, but with bright eyes that glinted when he smiled at Harry.

“You Harry Hart, then? Eggsy. We’ve an appointment?”

“Yes, of course. Please come in.” 

Once inside, Harry offered the boy a drink, but Eggsy insisted on laying down his rules first: “We’s _only_ cuddlin’, yeah? I ain’t a rentboy, an’ if that’s what you want you can fuck off down to Smith Street. I’ll even pay the cab fare. Clothes stay on. No wanderin’ hands. Just layin’ together. An’ anythin’ you say is confidential. I’m no therapist, but I don’t grass nobody up.”

“Of course,” Harry said. “As this is my first time utilising such … services, I’ll follow your lead, Eggsy.” The boy seemed professional enough, all things considered, and he was incredibly insistent that he wouldn’t do anything inappropriate—not that Harry couldn’t take him down should he need to. What good was decades of spy work if he couldn’t overpower a handsy boy?

“Let’s do it then,” Eggsy said, and Harry directed him up to his bedroom. It took a few minutes of shifting before they had sorted it out. Harry had his arms wrapped around Eggsy, his front to the boy’s back, short, sandy blond hair tickling his nose a bit. It was quite comfortable, really.

Well.

As comfortable as two strangers platonically holding each other in a bed for money could be, anyway.

Harry stayed stiff, though.

“I’m 24,” Eggsy finally said. “I can hear you thinkin’ from back there, an’ I ain’t jailbait, an’ the cops ain’t gonna bust in an’ haul you to gaol for holdin’ me relaxed, like.”

“I’ve never done this before,” Harry replied. “It’s not a situation I understand.”

“You buddy what hired me, Merlin? He said you was standoffish an’ all. Ain’t you ever had a girl—or guy—to hold?”

“If I had one now, I’m sure Merlin wouldn’t have hired you for me, and it’s been …” Many, many years since Harry had anyone.

“Right. I’m here ‘cause you haven’t found nobody to do this regular. Me, I’m in it for the benefits to meself.”

“What do you mean?” Harry’s breath ruffled Eggsy’s hair, and the boy hummed softly. Harry forced himself to relax a bit; Eggsy did feel nice in his arms.

“Dunno if you want the whole story or not, but I don’t have a good home life. Dad died when I was a kid, an’ Mum … she tries, but she’s not too affectionate.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, s’all sorted now, innit?” Harry could hear the tight bitterness in the boy’s words, but stayed silent. Sometimes, he knew, one needed to convince oneself more than anyone else. “Get paid to get held without havin’ to fuck randos down an alleyway. This is respectable, more or less.”

Harry considered that. It did make sense. “More or less.”

“Guv, people think this job’s a joke, or a way to whore meself under the radar.” Eggsy’s fingers began tracing patterns idly on Harry’s arm, keeping it close to his chest. “An’ yeah, I’d like someone to wanna do this with me without payin’, but it ain’t that easy, y’know?”

“I know.” And Harry really did. Too many extenuating circumstances made it impossible for him to have a meaningful relationship as well. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a long-term, serious relationship, or even more than a few moments’ companionship. “I suppose that’s why Merlin hired you for me.”

Eggsy laughed softly, and it made Harry smile. He had a lovely laugh. “Too right.”

The silence that fell between them was comfortable, and the words that were shared felt natural. Harry spoke of his rich upbringing, and his time in the army, and of Mr. Pickle—“I’ll introduce you on the way out.” “To a stuffed dog?! Freak.” Eggsy in turn talked of his sister, and of life in the estate, and his run-ins with the law—“You stole a car.” “Prick deserved it, yeah.”

At the end of their time—somehow a one-hour session had morphed into three—Harry found it hard to let Eggsy go.

“Would it be all right if I scheduled another session with you?”

“No.”

Harry yanked his hands back, hurt. He’d thought they were getting on well, after all. Eggsy merely turned so he was facing Harry, for the first time since they’d settled down together, reaching for Harry’s hands.

“No, ‘cause I don’t date clients, an’ I’d love to see what you look like with less on later.”

Harry supposed he’d forego another session under those circumstances.


End file.
